Spurs have announced the signing of Radu Dragusin from Serie A side Genoa, subject to international clearance and a work permit.
The defender becomes the second signing of the transfer window for the North London club, after former Chelsea forward Timo Werner joined on loan from RB Leipzig earlier this week.
A centre-back was always Ange Postecoglou’s number-one priority this month and Tottenham have secured the services of Dragusin in a deal that could rise to £25million, the PA news agency understands.
The 21-year-old has signed in time so that he could make his debut at Manchester United on Sunday and marks another shift in tactic by the club from their previously adopted transfer strategy.
Official Statement:
"The Romania international has signed a contract with the club which will run until 2030 and he will wear the number six shirt.
"Born in the Romanian capital of Bucharest, the central defender spent his early years with local sides Sportul Studentesc and Regal Sport Bucuresti before he made the move to Italy in 2018 to join Juventus.
"Arriving at the Old Lady as a 16-year-old, Radu quickly advanced through the youth teams in Turin, appearing for their Under-23 side – who compete in Serie C – at the age of 17 before making his professional and European debut as an 18-year-old in December, 2020, with a substitute appearance in Juve’s 3-0 UEFA Champions League group stage win over Dynamo Kyiv – a game in which he played alongside Rodrigo Bentancur and Dejan Kulusevski. His Serie A debut followed soon after as he made a late cameo appearance against Genoa later that month.
"Making four first-team appearances that debut campaign, he joined fellow Serie A side Sampdoria on loan ahead of the 2021/22 season, where he played 15 games before he signed for US Salernitana 1919 at the start of 2022, whom he helped survive relegation from Serie A in their first season back in the Italian top flight since 1999.
"He enjoyed a highly successful loan move to then Serie B side Genoa during the 2022/23 campaign as he played all bar 45 minutes of their league season, and scored his first four professional goals, as the Italian side secured an instant return to Serie A, finishing second to Frosinone to secure promotion. Midway through the season, the Griffin moved to make Radu’s switch permanent, and he has continued to flourish in Liguria having played every minute of the current campaign so far, scoring twice, as Genoa have enjoyed an encouraging start to life back in the top flight.
"Internationally, after progressing through Romania’s youth ranks, the 21-year-old received his first call-up for the senior side in March, 2022, and made his debut that same month in a friendly clash with Gus Poyet’s Greece, playing alongside Vlad Chiriches at the heart of defence. He has earned 13 caps to date."
Spurs have notoriously waited until the end of January to complete their winter business, signing both Dejan Kulusevski and Rodrigo Bentancur on the final day of the window in 2022 and securing the services of Pedro Porro with minutes to spare last year.
Postecoglou publicly made clear his desire to sign another centre-back and to crucially bring in recruits early to enable them to get up to speed with his style of football as quickly as possible.
The Australian has got his wish, with Dragusin fitting the profile of player Tottenham are tracking under his stewardship.
Zackykharz
487
welcome to Spurs.. 👏